1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game machine in which prize mode is determined by random number lottery and a small hit prize is caused.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been, for example, a slot machine as a game machine of this kind. In a general slot machine, as shown by FIG. 1A, three reels 3, 4 and 5 are installed in parallel on a rear side of a front panel 2. Various patterns are illustrated on outer peripheries of the respective reels 3 through 5, and the patterns are illuminated from behind by built-in light sources (back lights), not illustrated, installed at the respective reels and are observed via respective windows 6, 7 and 8 formed at the front panel 2. Five prize lines are described in the windows and the slot machine game is carried out in accordance with whether a combination of predetermined patterns is set on any of the prize lines.
The game is started when a player puts a coin into a slot and when the coin is put into the slot, as shown by FIG. 1A, all of the back lights are lighted. When a coin of the player has not been put thereinto by the player for a constant time period after finishing the game, or the like, all of the back lights are extinguished as shown by FIG. 1B. The respective reels 3 through 5 are rotated in accordance with operation of a start lever by the player and the respective windows 6 through 8 are displayed with the patterns which move to rotate in directions of columns thereof. When the respective reels 3 through 5 reach a constant speed, operation of respective stop buttons installed in correspondence with the respective reels 3 through 5 becomes effective.
The player operates the respective stop buttons while observing the moving patterns and stops rotation of the respective reels 3 through 5 to thereby stop and display desired patterns on any of the prize lines. The respective reels 3 through 5 stop rotating in accordance with operational timings of the respective stop buttons. When a predetermined combination of patterns is displayed on any of the prize lines in stopping them, a prize in accordance with the combination of patterns is obtained.
There are a big hit prize, a medium hit prize, a small hit prize and so on in prize modes and the big hit prize or the medium hit prize is caused when three of patterns "7" or patterns of a predetermined character are set on the prize line. A special game of big bonus game (BB game) in the case of the big hit prize or regular bonus game (RB game) in the case of the medium hit prize is carried out and a large amount of coins can be acquired. Further, the small hit prize is caused when three of patterns of, for example, "cherry" or "bell" are aligned on the prize line and several coins can be acquired in the small hit prize. FIG. 1C shows a case in which patterns "bell" are aligned on a central prize line and in this case, back lights are caused to blink.
Such prize modes are determined by a lottery of random numbers which is carried out immediately after operating the start lever and has already been determined before the respective reels are operated to stop by the player. The lottery of random numbers is executed by prize mode determining means constituted inside the game machine. When the big hit prize is determined by the lottery of random numbers, a lamp installed at the front panel of the machine is lighted and the player is informed of the fact that the big hit prize is caused by the inner lottery of the machine. Thereafter, rotation of the respective reels is controlled to stop in accordance with the operation of the stop buttons by the player and the prize is caused when a combination of patterns of the prize determined by the lottery of random numbers is stopped and displayed on the prize line.
However, according to the conventional game machine, although the player is informed of the fact that a big hit prize is caused by the inner lottery, the player is not informed on the fact that a small hit prize is caused by the inner lottery. There fore, the player does not know that the small hit prize has been determined by random number lottery inside the machine until patterns are actually stopped and displayed at the respective windows. Therefore, when a small hit prize is determined by the inner lottery, the player cannot know in advance the result of the inner lottery and accordingly, when the player initially operates to stop rotation of the reel, the player cannot know which patterns may be aligned on the prize line.
Further, according to the above-described conventional game machine, the player is informed of a result of the inner lottery in which a big hit prize is caused by simply lighting the lamp and accordingly, there is no interest created in the game.